Special and chosen sermons of D. Martin Luther collected out of his writings and…

Thus we show the way whereby we are made righteous before God, when as they, when they teach best of all,¹ show only the way to attain to honesty and righteousness which is of ⟨p. 210⟩force and value before men, contending that it ought to be of force before God also, mingling together all things in one, inasmuch as they have no certain knowledge thereof, understanding not what they say or what they affirm. For, to what end tendeth this thy immoderate cry? He that will enter into life, let him keep the commandments, &c. in which words thou shalt not show the way to attain righteousness: for descend a little into thy self, and examine thy self diligently, then shalt thou find thy self to have bin in time past conceived and borne in since, and to live in the same now, and not to be able to perform that which the law requireth. Why therefore doest thou seduce other with vain words, saying? be thou righteous and thou shalt be saved, which is to no purpose, neither followeth there any fruit thereof, the way being not showed by which we attain to justification? I hear the words well, what things the law requireth, but how shall we attain unto ability to fulfil them? Then speakest thou to me again and sayest, thou must do good works. But how shall I stand before the judgement of God, if I have long and much wrought good works, and am righteous before men, as thou teachest me? how shall I be certain, that I seem such a one to God also? For here my heart and conscience be ready to witness the contrary against me.

Thus we shew the way whereby we are made righteous before God, when as they, when they teach best of all,¹ shew onely the waye to attaine to honestie and righteousnes which is of ⟨p. 210⟩force and value before men, contending that it ought to be of force before God also, mingling together all thinges in one, inasmuch as they haue no certaine knowledge thereof, vnderstanding not what they say or what they affirme. For, to what ende tendeth this thy immoderate cry? He that will enter into life, let him keepe the commaundements, &c. in which wordes thou shalt not shew the way to attaine righteousnes: for descend a litle into thy selfe, and examine thy selfe diligently, then shalt thou fynde thy selfe to haue bin in time past conceiued and borne in synnes, and to liue in the same nowe, and not to be able to performe that which the lawe requireth. Why therefore doest thou seduce other with vaine wordes, saying? be thou righteous and thou shalt be saued, which is to no purpose, neither foloweth there any frute thereof, the waye being not shewed by which we attaine to iustification? I heare the wordes well, what things the lawe requireth, but how shall we attaine vnto abilitie to fulfill them? Then speakest thou to me againe and saiest, thou must doe good workes. But how shall I stand before the iudgement of God, if I haue long and much wrought good workes, and am righteous before men, as thou teachest me? howe shall I be certaine, that I seeme such a one to God also? For here my hearte and conscience be ready to witnes the contrarie against me.